Kelly bushing



W. A. SMITH KELLY BUSHING June 28, 1932,

Filed Augl?. 192e rrrlflkw minar Patented June 28, 1932 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. SMITH, or LONG BEACH,

ONE-FOURTH PER CENT TO WILLIAM A CENT TO FOX M. BOSWELL, BOTH OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, EIGHTEEN AND ONE-FOURTH PIERv CENT T0 HARRY E. LYNN, OF MAYWOOD, CALIFORNIA AND EIGHTEEN .AND ON IEX-FOURTH CALIFORNIA.

PER CENT vTO FRED LAMBERT, JR., OF EAGLE ROCK,

AKELLY BUSHING l Application filed August 17, 1928. Serial No. 300,277.

rotary motion to the kelly. During operation the kelly is moved vertically in the rotary table. In accordance with standard practice, the desired engagement is obtained between the table and kelly through a bushing known as a Kelly bushing which is. held in the table and engages the kelly so that it-is driven or rotated by or from the table and is free to move vertically through the table. Because of the severe conditions under which these parts operate, the kelly does not always operate freely through the Kelly bushing and wear occurs between the kelly and bushing, resulting in undesirable rotational looseness between the kelly and bushing.

It is an object of this invention to provide Va simple, practical and effective bushing construction which resists wear between the bushing and kelly and which allows free operation of the kelly through the bushing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a Kelly bushing construction embodying replaceable liners for receiving the wear between the kelly and bushing, which liners are ofsimple, inexpensive construction and 0 are mounted so that they are secure and dependable.

An object of the invention is to provide a bushing of the character mentioned which uniformly bears on the kelly or drill stem and thus operates smoothly and with a minimum amount of friction.

A further object of the invention yis to provide a bu'shlng of the character mentioned which receives the driving strain at a point about half way between its ends causing the strains to balance.

An object of the invention is tol provide a construction for a bushing of the character mentioned whereby it can be easily and quickly reconditioned, after it is worn, without welding or otherwise building up worn parts. l

. Another object of the invention is to rovide s. construction whereby a single bus ing can be made to fit kellys of various sizes by arranging different liners in'the bushing.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a Kelly bushing with removable liners which cannot be lost through the bushing when it is in place in a rotary table.

AThe various objects and features of my invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical form and application of the invention, throughout which description I refer to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view cfa typical rotary table showing bushings embodying the present invention in place in the table and Carrying a.drill stem or kelly. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 being a view taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an` enlarged detailed vertical sectional view of the Kelly bushing provided by this invention being an enlarged view taken as indicated by linc 3-3 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detailed plan section taken as indicated by line 4.-4 on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detailed plan section taken as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 3.y Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by lineG-G on Fig. 3.

In the drawing I have illustrated a typical rotary unit including a base 10, a table 11 rotatably mounted on the base 10 through an anti-friction bearing 12, and a drive 13 engaging the table to rotate it. The4 table 11 has a central opening 11.L of square cross section. A master bushing 80 is arranged in the opening 11a. The master bushing 80 has a central opening the upper portion 14 of which is square in cross section while the lower portion 15 is round in cross section and downwardly tapered or convergent. During drilling operations a drill stem or kelly 16 is operated through the table and a Kelly bushing supports the -kelly in the table. In accordance with standard practice, I have shown the kelly square in cross sectional configuration and provided with a central longitudinal circulation opening 17.

The .Kelly bushing has a tapered 'lower end portion which is round inpross sectional configuration .and fits the opening l5 in the master bushing and has an enlarged portion or head which is square in cross sectional configuration and lits the square opening 14 in the master bushing. The drive or rotational strain is applied to the Kelly bushing at the head of the Kelly bushing which lits the square opening 14 in the master bushing. An openin extends vertically through the Kell tion 5t'o the kelly 16 to slidably pass the kelly and yet engage it so that 1t is effectively driven or rotated from the table 11.

The Kelly bushing is of sectional construction to permit its being assembled around the kelly. In the preferred construction illustrated in the drawing, the bushing is divided or split vertically through diametrically opposite corners Iof the square head which fits the square opening 14 in the mas-` ter bushing and through diametrically opor body posite corners of the square opening through the Kelly bushing passing the kelly.. The Kelly bushing thus divided comprises two like sectionsA and B.

l In accordance with'my present invention, each bushing section comprises a main part and a liner mounted in the'body to engage the kelly. The body of the section comprises a lower portion 20 of the exterior of which is curved and downwardly convergent to lit or seat in the 'round portion of the opening 15 in the master bushing. The upper portion 22 of the body projects above the -top of the master bushing and may be of any suitable configuration. An enlarged portion or head 21 is provided between the upper and lower portions 2O and is shaped to seat or fit in the square portion 14 of the opening in the master bushing. In the preferred construction the head 21 is located about half way between the two ends of the body. The head portion 21 of the body is comparatively large or heavy and in practice may be recessed or provided with cored openings 23 to lighten it.

By dividing or splitting the Kelly bushing so that the line of division between the A sections extends through diametricall opposite corners of the kelly opening, the ody of each section has two full adjoining sides or walls of the kelly opening, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. In accordance with my present invention, the walls or sides of the kelly opening are faced or linedl with bearing vorY wear receiving parts so that the kelly does not directly contact the body parts above described. In the preferred form of the invention, a single liner unit is provided in 'each section of the bushing. The liner unit includes two fiat plates or wings 30 which are joined at an angle of 90 degrees so that they will it into the kelly opening of the body with the outer side 31 of 'each wing fitting or bearing against the wall 32 of the body opening. The inner faces 33` bushing and corresponds in cross secof the liner wings are finished to slidably lit or engage the kelly bushing 16. The liners of the two bushing sections cooperate to form an opening corresponding in cross section to the configuration of the kelly and are proportioned to. fit the kelly with such clearance as to allow it to operate freely through the bush- 1ng.

The present invention provides for fiXing or securing the liner unit in the body of the Kelly bushing section, and in the preferred form of the invention illustrated this means includes a projection or lug 35 on the exterior of the liner unit fitting a socket 36 in the body, and a bolt 37 extending through the liner unit and body to secure them together. The socket 36 is formed in the opening of the body at the corner formed between the two walls or sides of the opening and is located opposite or at the head 21 of the body. The lug 35 is correspondingly located on the liner unit and is made to accurately fit the socket, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing. The bolt 37 is preferably located to extend through the lug and socket, as shown in the drawing. In the preferred construction the bolt is arranged to project outwardly through an opening 40 provided in the liner unit and an opening 41 provided in the body. The opening 40 extends through the liner unit from the corner formed by or between thel walls 33 and is located to extend concentrically through the lug 35, as shown throughout the drawing. An enlargement or recess 45 is provided at the inner end of the opening 40 to receive and hold the head 46 of the bolt, while an enlargement or recess 47 is provided at the outer end of the opening 41 in the body to receive the nut 48 on the bolt. By the construction just described the retaining bolt 37 is carried entirely within the other parts of the construcf tion so that it is protected against injury and wear. The parts may be fitted and proportioned so that the strains tending to shift the liner unit longitudinally in the body are taken by the lug 35 fitting into the socket 36 in which case the bolt merely functions to retain the liner in operating position in the body.

Further, in accordance with the preferred construction, outwardly extending flanges 50 are provided on the upper ends of the wings 30 of the liner unit to overhang the upper end of the body, for instance to engage the upper end of the body portion 22, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. It is to be noted that the ianges project from the wings 30 so that the liner unit is considerably .wider than the opening formed through the body sections vof the bushing and therefore cannot be lost through the body.

In the preferred construction each section is provided with spaced lugs 61 at the top of the head portion 21 and a looped handle 60 is bodies of the kelly bushing sections receive the wear and in practice may be made of a grade of material suitable for handling the kelly, which material would not be practical for the formation of a complete Kelly bushing. The driving strain is applied to the head of the bushing located about half way between the ends of the bushing causing the bushing to have long uniform bearing engagement on the kelly, this minimizes friction and wear and makes. for smooth operation. The liner units provided in the bodies of the bushing sections are readily detachable for purpose of repair or replacement, making `it a simple matter to renew a bushing to put it in perfect working order when the liner becomes worn. JIt is obvious that liners of different sizes may be used to fit different kellys. Y

Having described only a typical preferred 30 form of the invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the specific details set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims: v

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a master bushing for use in a rotary table and having an opening with a part of polygonal cross section, and 40 a sectional Kelly bushing in the said opening including two body sections having a head to lit said polygonal part of the opening, there being a polygonal opening through the Kelly bushing, a .liner on each body section in the polygonal opening, the liners forming a polygonal opening for passing a drill stem, and means for detachably securing the liners to the `body sections including lugs on the liners fitting sockets in the body sections at 50 the corners of the opening in the Kelly bushin l . In combination, a master bushing for use in a rotary table and having an opening with a part of polygonal cross section, and

a sectional Kelly bushing in the said opening,

a head on the Kelly bushing substantially halfway between its ends fitting the polygonal part of said opening, there being a polygonal opening in the Kelly bushing, liners on the sections of the Kelly bushing in said polygonal opening, and means at the head for detachably securing the liners to the sections.

3. In combination, a master bushing for use in a rotary table and having an opening nal part of said opening, there 'being a polygonal opening in the Kelly bushing, liners on the sections of the Kelly bushing in said polygonal opening, and means at the head -for detachably securing the liners to the secl tions, said means including lugs on the liners extending into sockets in the lsections at the corners of the said polygonal opening, and bolts extending through the lugs and engaging the sections.

4. In combination, a master bushing for use in a rotary table and having an opening with an upper part of polygonal cross-section, and a lower partof circular cross-section, a sectional Kelly bushing in said opening, a head on the Kelly bushing substantially half-.way between its ends fitting the polygonal part of the opening, a polygonal opening in the Kelly bushing, liners on the sections of the Kelly bushing in said polygonal opening, means for detachably securing the liner to the sections, said means including lugs on the liners extending into sockets in the sections, said lugs being mid-way of the length of the liner and at the corners thereof, and bolts arranged at opposite corners of the liners passing through the lugs and engaging the sections.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26 day of July, 1928.

i WILLIAM A. SMITH. 

